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Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, speaks during a meeting of ranking leaders from the party and Yoon’s administration that took place at the National Assembly under the title “National Security Assessment Related to North [Korea’s] Provocations” on June 8. (National Assembly pool photo)

Amid predictions that North Korea is on the verge of carrying out a seventh nuclear weapons test, the South Korean government, the People Power Party (PPP), and the presidential office held their first joint deliberations on Wednesday, where they pledged to meet any military provocation by the North with a strong response in line with South Korea’s alliance with the US.

At the same time, Seoul left open the possibility of providing humanitarian support, such as vaccines, amid an ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 in North Korea.

The topic of the three-way deliberations, which were held at the National Assembly building Wednesday, was the security threat posed by North Korean provocations and the appropriate response to that threat. All participants in the meeting said that South Korea would respond to additional North Korean provocations strongly.

“The previous administration was anxious to cover for North Korea with contorted phraseology such as referring to missiles as ‘unidentified projectiles’ after a North Korea missile provocation. Provocations can only lead to strong sanctions and retribution from the international community. We won’t let North Korea drag us around any longer,” said Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of the PPP.

“[The Yoon administration] is capable of sending a stern warning by making a swift and tough response to North Korean military provocations,” said Sung Il-jong, head of the PPP’s policy committee.

The South Korean government and the presidential office said they intend to respond to a seventh nuclear test by strengthening cooperation with the international community through the alliance with the US.

Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup said, “Security on the Korean Peninsula is in an extremely grave situation since indications of preparations for a seventh nuclear test have recently been detected [in North Korea]. We will increase the efficacy of the US’ pledge for extended deterrence [the nuclear umbrella] and further reinforce our military’s ‘three-axis system’ to respond to the increasing advanced threat posed by North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missiles.”

Foreign Minister Park Jin observed that “North Korea’s continuing development of nuclear weapons and missiles and provocations will ultimately have the result of degrading North Korea’s own security, since they will lead the South Korea-US alliance to respond by bolstering deterrence.”

The presidential office’s National Security Office (NSO) mentioned plans for a tough response in stressing what differentiates President Yoon Suk-yeol from his predecessor, Moon Jae-in.

“Under the Yoon administration, the National Security Office will show what we mean through actions, rather than words. We can’t go on with North Korean nukes pointed at our head. We will develop ways to neutralize North Korean nuclear weapons and missiles through the ‘three-axis system’ before the end of Yoon’s presidency,” said NSO Second Deputy Director Shin In-ho.

After North Korea fired eight short-range ballistic missiles on Monday, South Korea and the US responded in kind by firing eight surface-to-surface missiles the next day.

Following the closed-door meeting, Kweon also fielded a question about whether he believes stronger deterrence can prevent North Korea from testing nuclear weapons or launching missiles.

“Experts must be aware that North Korean nuclear weapon tests or missile provocations cannot be directly deterred by building up the military or strengthening its morale. In the long term, we need [a strategy of] various economic sanctions or a blockade of North Korea,” Kweon said.

He added that the Ministry of National Defense is currently preparing and implementing measures to strengthen military morale.

But Seoul didn’t close the door on providing North Korea with humanitarian aid. “Our position toward North Korea is that we will respond strongly to provocations while continuing humanitarian aid and dialogue,” Kweon said.

By Sun Dam-eun, staff reporter

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